The term “wireless network” is used herein to refer to any network to which a wireless computing device or a wireless communications device can connect through wireless means. A wireless connection is commonly achieved using electromagnetic waves, such as radio frequency (“RF”) waves, to carry a signal over part or all of the communication path. Wireless networks can be private or public in nature and can be designed for two-way communications or for one-way broadcasts. Examples of wireless networks are 802.11, Bluetooth, HyperLAN, Ultra Wideband Radio, and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). As wireless computing devices and wireless communications devices become more and more prolific, the demand increases for more ubiquitous access to these wireless networks.
Private wireless networks often serve a single building, campus or other defined location. In order to meet current government regulations for use of the radio frequency spectrum, a low signal transmit level is often used in these types of environments. This low transmit level allows the wireless signal to be effectively limited to the desired area by using walls, furniture, other obstructions in the environment, or even free space to attenuate and contain the signal. While a low transmit level works well to contain the wireless signal, it can also have the unintended consequence of allowing undesired gaps in the coverage area, for example by: (i) limiting the effective range of a wireless signal; (ii) amplifying or magnifying the impact of obstructions in the environment; (iii) reducing the amount of reflection of the wireless signal; and/or (iv) reducing the amount of wireless signal penetration through walls, windows, structures, or obstructions.
Wireless signal coverage gaps are also common in public networks. For example, two way communications networks, such as, cellular networks, PCS networks, paging networks, and mobile data networks, are often characterized by gaps in wireless signal coverage in areas such as tunnels, building lobbies, public gathering spaces, airports, public arenas, convention facilities, office spaces, etc. As another example, one way broadcast networks, such as satellite radio networks, GPS networks, or even AM radio stations, also tend to include wireless signal coverage gaps in areas such as buildings, public arenas, tunnels, or even under highway overpasses.
In order to provide wireless signal coverage within the gaps of a wireless network or to add traffic carrying capacity, additional network equipment is usually required. A common method of covering a gap or adding capacity is to place an additional network access point, such as a base station, in a location where it can communicate with one or more wireless computing device or wireless communications device located in or near the gap. A network access point may or may not require a dedicated hard-wired communications facility to or from the hardwired network. Adding network access points to a wireless network can allow additional communication channels to be added to the wireless network and usually allows additional traffic carrying capacity to be added as well. Both wired and wirelessly interconnected network access points are well known in the art.
In locations where additional channels or traffic carrying capacity is not needed on the wireless network, a wireless repeater, wireless reradiator, or wireless signal booster can be used to cover a gap. Usually a wireless repeater, wireless reradiator, or wireless signal booster receives the wireless signal over the air and then repeats the wireless signal or regenerates the wireless signal on either the same channel or another wireless channel. Wireless repeaters, wireless reradiators, and wireless signal booster are well known in the art. The benefits of using a wireless repeater, wireless reradiator, or wireless signal booster instead of a network access point can be a reduction in cost, size, power consumption and/or the lack of a need for a back-haul communications facility to the network.
Hereinafter, network access points, wireless repeaters, wireless reradiators, wireless signal boosters and other wireless network devices, such as hubs, routers gateways, etc. are referred to collectively as “wireless network components.” It is known that wireless signal coverage is, in many cases, maximized by locating a wireless network component as high as possible in the environment. This allows line of sight from the wireless network component to more of the area without encountering obstructions such as desks, filing cabinets, office equipment, inventory, or other items commonly found in a commercial building, office space, retail space, manufacturing space, etc. The optimal location for a wireless network component, for purposes of maximizing wireless signal coverage, may thus be an overhead location, such as a ceiling.
Unfortunately, mounting a wireless network component to a ceiling may be difficult, require special mountings or specialized skills, or may require the device to be camouflaged from view. For example, it can be difficult or cost prohibitive to mount equipment to poured concrete ceilings, which are common in many buildings concrete. As another example, hotels and professional offices typically will not wish to have excess equipment mounted where it is obvious to their guests. Also, the overhead space of some manufacturing plants and other environment is characterized by an open plenum that would required specialized mounting brackets to suspend equipment from ceiling supports without obstruction from pipes, HVAC systems, etc. The cost of camouflaging a wireless network component and/or installing special mounting configurations would contribute to the overall cost of deployment and could make the overall cost of installation prohibitive. The need to remove mounting configurations and/or restore the overhead space to its pre-installation condition when a wireless network component is relocated could also be prohibitively cost and labor intensive.
Accordingly, there is a need to overcome the limitations of the prior art by adapting a wireless network component to be able to be easily mounted to existing infrastructure that is commonly available in many overhead locations. Beyond the need for ease of installation, wireless network components should also be easily relocated, so as to allow a network administrator to easily extend or reconfigure the coverage pattern of the wireless network.